Blood
Blood & Oil is a Raid Event scheduled to start on October 1, 2016 at 8:00 PM (PST) and end on October 7, 2016 at 7:59 PM (PST). It is the thirteenth episode of the Dark Stigma story and seventh in the Malice Canon storyline. Half-time Reward Calculation Period is from October 3rd 7:00 PM to 7:59 PM (PST). __TOC__ Feature Changes * No opening clip * Main Boss Lvl 15 60% more HP (1 Million to 1.6 Million) Raid Bosses Skill Cards * Loose Cannon Gordon (UR) Anti-Raid Boss Skill Card, obtained from the Oath of Survival Card Pack * Magnus Don Duane (UR) Anti-Hidden Raid Boss Skill Card, obtained from the Oath of Survival Card Pack * Armsbroker Piera (UR) Anti-Secret Raid Boss Skill Card, obtained from the Oath of Survival Card Pack * Pepper Gun Ace Zoey (UR) Special Evolution Card, Skill against all Raid Bosses of the event, obtained from the Master of Fate Card Pack Story As the three of you sat immersed in the pub's din, Elimval produced a note delivered by a messenger pigeon and reexamined its content. "I wonder how much longer until Ripley arrives..." "He better have a real good reason to keep us waitin' like this. Sure, he picked out a place big enough that we can lay low for a while, but our luck won't hold out forever." Salvador leaned his head back to quaff from his flagon, using the chance to furtively look around the room. The rowdy clientele was equipped with a variety of strange weapons: Firearms of all shapes and sizes, swords with strange mechanisms attached, and inexplicable gears topping magical canes. You were in a city renowned for its metallurgic arts: Ammatz. It was the capital of the northwest region of Contratellus. Due to the high concentration of iron ore in the area, alchemy, smithing, and related crafts flourished. The unique technology it developed established it as the empire's largest arms manufacturer. Roughly thirty percent of the populace was involved in engineering and the remainder worked in related fields: selling, testing... or applying. As the gunpowder packed tight within the casing of a bullet, so was the atmosphere tense and liable to explode at the slightest disturbance. Indeed, Ammatz was even more vehement to the eastern end of the empire for it was home to a great number of outlaws and vagrants. It was likely why Ripley had suggested you hide there to evade the persistent Lightholders. "Are you insane, Gordon? That's way too risky!" Suddenly, an angered shout pierced the clamor. A woman with a peculiar gun holstered at her side at a nearby table jumped to her feet. Across from her was another woman with a hood covering her face and a young man. He, presumably Gordon, also rose in protest. "When did you get so soft, Zoey? The two of us should be able to handle taking back the Nibbler!" "You're forgetting that we'd have to bring her too, since she's the only one who knows how to work it!" Zoey cast her eyes over at the hooded woman. "And I bet you the Gray Market wants her way more than your little toy! Do you really think we can fight our way through and still keep her safe?" She slammed a fist on the table. "Besides, it's your fault they have the Nibbler in the first place! Go beg your old man to let you borrow some flunkies, THEN I'll think about going." "Gimme a break! If he ever finds out about this mess, he'll plug me on the spot!" "Okay, so go by yourself. I'm sure you'll be able to handle their bodyguards, not to mention their secret weapon Pyrlin..." "Argh! What am I going to do?!" Gordon sat back down with a thud, letting his arms hang limp. At that moment, a low rumble could be heard through the door, and the entire pub froze. You looked in time to see the door burst open and reveal a mob of strange figures -- Stigmals. Everyone in the building turned away from their drinks and leveled their weapons at the unwelcome guests. You did likewise. "If yesterday's enemies are tomorrow's friends, looks like it goes both ways, huh? We could really use Rooney about now..." You could only concur with Salvador. Without Controllers to restrain them, Stigmals were nothing but hindrances. "But there's so many of them..." Elimval's voice quavered, yet you did not pull back, for you knew you were not alone... ...... "...Hmph. That about wraps this up." You and Salvador surveyed the wrecked tavern. The battle had been brief as the other patrons, stimulated by inebriation, were more fierce than anticipated. While everyone returned to their seats, you stooped to extract the Komora Stones from the cold bodies of the Stigmals. The edge of your sword slipped beneath the neck of one only for it to be stopped by a stiff substance that was clearly not bone. "These are Altered Stigmals from the Gray Market. You can tell by the metal collars they wear. They have steel plates beneath the skin to prevent their Komora Stones from being plucked. These are only prototypes but if they ever get to the mass production stage, it'll be bad news for everyone. I heard they were being made at the request of the empire as a counter-revolutionary force or something." You faced the source of the cheerful, chatty voice from behind. It was the woman who was seated with Zoey, her hood removed to reveal her face. "It's...!" Elimval shouted with surprise. You had first met her when battling the Skyfire Horde. Unlike the ephemeral nature of the other enemies, she was proper flesh and blood. "What's the matter, Saoirse? They fixing to steal your Komora Stones?" "No, Zoey! Put down your gun! They're friends who helped me run some tests on a new weapon a few days ago!" Upon hearing what her true intent was at that time, Elimval was noticeably upset. "You had some nerve to do that in the middle of a battle" "Hahaha, sorry about that! But I needed the results from actual combat. And on that note, I have something I want to ask you..." "Wait, don't tell me you want them to help us! Getting outsiders involved is too risky!" "Yeah, I agree. This needs to stay on the down-low." "But this isn't the time to play it safe anymore, you two. I was going to go myself anyway, so if you weren't going, I wanted to find someone who could help me out." "Um, what are you talking about, Saoirse?" "It all started with Gordon's bright idea. He's the son of Duane, don of the Magnus Family. Oh, and this is Zoey, who was like my older sister at the orphanage. I thought Zoey was so cool with how she fought with guns, and so I started inventing new ones for her. I was only seven at the time and it was a silly little rapid cork popper, but now I can make all kinds of things. ...Oops, got a little off-track there. Now, where was I?" Saoirse was apparently one of the major inventors in the city, and Gordon thought to use her skills to scam the largest weapons producer in Ammatz, the "Gray Market." It was under the ostensibly sole operation of Rae, a sharp and cunning tycoon known as the Death Dealer. What gave worth to the challenge was the enormous sum success would provide for the two. And so Saoirse created the Nibbler, a large mechanical rodent, and Gordon presented it to Rae, who negotiated a hefty sum for its purchase. "That was just a cute little nickname I came up with at first, but it eventually became a high-powered magical cannon with unbelievable destructive force." However, Rae was one step ahead. When she heard Saoirse was its creator, she deduced that Gordon had embezzled funds from the Family to fund its construction, and blackmailed him into handing it over at no cost lest she reveal his deed. "Our saving grace is that I'm the only one who knows how to use it. Still, they realized that soon enough, so they've been sending these creeps after me." She stared at the motionless Stigmals on the ground. "But I know I can't keep running away forever. They'll find out how to operate it even if they have to reverse-engineer the whole thing. And I know they'll sell those plans to the highest bidder, no matter how evil their intentions are. So please, you need to help me get it back. I'll even make sure you get paid for your efforts. Right, Gordon?" "Wha...? Hey, wait a...." "It's too late to get out of this scot-free, you know. If you won't get your father to help, you're going to have to cough it up. So, are you three in?" Zoey asked for confirmation. It was an unexpected dilemma, but it your choice was clear. If the Gray Dealer had ties with the empire, hindering them could prove invaluable later. The possibility of both the Altered Stigmals and the Nibbler coming under Ildanev's control was too fearful to tolerate. So you all proceeded towards the Gray Dealer's headquarters under the smoggy skies of Ammatz... Epilogue You were dismayed to learn the empire's Lightholders had joined forces with the Gray Market's bodyguards and Altered Stigmals, but that was ineffective in quelling your resolution to recover Saoirse's invention, the Nibbler. Aided by the superb marksmanship of her allies, Zoey and Gordon, she eventually spotted the contraption in a secluded storage shed. ...... "Well, I must say this differed from what I had imagined..." Vanquishing the last of the bodyguards, you and the others then gathered around the Nibbler. It was an enormous golden machine mounted with an equally imposing cannon. Yet in contrast, it was propped by four supports resembling the legs of a rodent. "I just thought it'd be funny, you know? My workshop isn't in the cleanest part of town, so every now and then I'll see a rat scurrying along the edges, and that's when inspiration struck..." Saoirse explained its unusual shape as she placed a hand on top of it, smiling proudly. "Um, that's very interesting, but I think we have company..." Elimval pointed to the windows, through which a row of Altered Stigmals could be seen, with Rae, head of the Gray Market, standing cocksure before them. "Not bad getting this far, but if there's anything I can't stand, it's people who renege on a deal!" Suddenly, your body was overcome with tremors. As you held on to Elimval's arm to steady yourself, you glared at the "Death Dealer." Then, she signaled to her Stigmals, who then raised their machine guns and opened fire. "This doesn't look good... She probably has more waiting on the other side of the shed, and there's still the Lightholders to deal with..." Zoey murmured as she gazed at you. It seemed she realized the focus of their manhunt... "There's no need to worry now that we've got the Nibbler back, Zoey! Everyone, give me what you've gathered so far!" "Which would be... what, exactly?" "You don't remember? These!" Saoirse produced a handful of small red objects from a pouch -- Komora Stones, plucked from the Altered Stigmals after dislodging their control devices. With the Nibbler's fuel known, you immediately presented her with a modest collection. "Great, that should be plenty!" Saoirse poured them into an opening on the side of the great contraption. Then, she whispered the activation chant and it began to hum. Magical sparks leapt in all directions as the noise grew louder. It was evidently audible from outside, for you heard the Stigmal's gunfire had ceased. You turned to see Rae and her entourage hastily retreating. "Hahaha! That's right, you better get your sorry carcasses as far from here as they can!" Saoirse taunted them with a crazed gleam in her eyes. The Nibbler groaned under the increasing vibrations, then, after coming to a complete stop, it unleashed a blazing beam of light. Its speed was so intense that it created a shockwave which shattered every window in the vicinity. You opened your eyes expecting to see a cloud of dust, but even that had been vaporized. The Nibbler's attack had cleared a path straight back into Ammatz. "Don't just stand slack-jawed like that! Climb on!" Enthused by her creation's handiwork, she vaulted atop the Nibbler, and the rest of you followed in turn. "Hold on tight! Once the Nibbler gets going, it could be a bumpy ride!" ...... "Ugh! It's completely shot! Now what am I going to do?!" Saoirse's shoulders drooped after slamming a hatch in the Nibbler shut. It had carried you beyond the borders of Ammatz with incredible speed, yet due to some incomprehensible fault it now refused to move. If its own creator could not repair it, then there was little hope it would soon operate once more. Although it meant Rae would possibly lose interest in it, the potential it had demonstrated was clear. "What's this rusted piece of metal that has arrested your attention, the latest victim in your continuing misadventures?" Turning around at the sudden voice, you saw Ripley had finally arrived. Although Elimval had told you of his coming, you were yet unsure why he would leave the safety of the Blessed Dome. "Yahqi and her witches have worked out a teleportation spell allowing us a way back in. That's allowed everyone to journey across the world for allies so you three aren't doing all the hard work. We still have to watch out for the Lightholders, but they're not too troublesome. There's a more pressing matter..." He leaned close and whispered into your ear. "I've received word that Ildanev has decided upon a new capital. I don't know where or when, but soon, he will make it his new base." It seemed he intended to reorganize the imperial forces westward, forgoing the need to reclaim the impregnable city from your allies. However, word of your status as the "murderer" would then spread like wildfire, complicating your efforts. Furthermore, as the empire had forged a bond with Ammatz, a major metropolis, through the Gray Market... "You seem to get the gist of it. In that case, I must be going. Farewell." Ripley departed as quickly as he had arrived. You appreciated his assistance, yet you thought it curious how he was privy to such exclusive information. As you pondered his objective, Zoey spoke up. "I guess being the murderer isn't all fun and games." All at once, you, Elimval, and Salvador froze. "Huh, you say they're the ones the empire's hunting for? Sweet! We can turn them in for a huge reward, Saoirse!" "You seriously didn't realize that until now, Gordon? After I tested their strength, I knew who they were right away. No one else could be that strong!" "C'mon, gimme a break. I thought they just got lucky! Hey, give us the low-down on what happened at the capital!" "Before we go demanding anything else from them, I think they're owed proper payment for helping us get back the Nibbler." "Huh? But I'm flat broke! And I can't borrow cash from my old man without him finding out..." "You don't have to worry about that. I contacted him right before we entered the base. There's a good chance he's fighting the bodyguards right this moment..." "No way... You're joking, right?!" "Oh, put a sock in it already. Anyway, I don't think they're actually a murderer. They probably have a perfectly good excuse for everything. So, since we don't have any money, how about we just get in the empire's way if they got after them? That sound fair to you? Whenever you're in trouble, just let us know and we'll get the whole city on your side!" Zoey smiled at you, reassuring you despite the dour news from Ripleyipley. Ildanev possessed incredible might and authority, but you knew that every additional ally improved your chances of defeating him and ending his tyrannical reign. Chapters/Quests * Energy Raid Bosses Rewards Daily Ranking= |-|Half-Time= |-|Final Rankings= |-|Raid Boss Repels= |-|Guild Ranking= |-|Guild Repels= Category:Raid Events Category:Blood & Oil Category:Malice Canon